Stand-on outdoor power equipment for aerating soil

ABSTRACT

A stand-on aerator including a chassis, a pair of first wheels coupled to the chassis, wherein the first wheels are operable as drive wheels, a pair of second wheels coupled to the chassis, and an operator platform extending from a rear portion of the chassis. The stand-on aerator also has an aerator assembly coupled to the chassis, wherein the aerator assembly includes a plurality of reciprocating tines capable of extending from and retracting into the aerator assembly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/808,893, filed Feb. 22, 2019, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to outdoor power equipment suchas turf aerators, and, more particularly, to stand-on aerators havingvarious configurations such as, e.g., reciprocating tines within a drumassembly, suspension assemblies, etc.

Turf aeration is a common landscaping practice in many regions, wherecompacted soil is perforated to form numerous small holes throughout thelawn, thereby allowing air, water, and other nutrients to penetrategrass roots. Numerous types of mechanical aerators exist, includingvarious forms of spike aerators and plug aerators. Spike aerators merelypoke holes in the soil surface with a solid tine or fork, while plugaerators utilize hollow tines to remove numerous cores (or plugs) ofgrass and soil from the lawn. The tines may be forced into soil usingmechanical and/or hydrostatic pressure. In some instances, the tines arecoupled to support arms and are driven downward with a reciprocatingaction to remove the cores. In other instances, the tines may extendfrom a drum assembly, which rolls over the lawn surface and is forceddownward toward the soil at varying pressures so as to allow the tinesto penetrate the soil.

Many commonly-available mechanical aerators are of the walk-behindvariety, which require an operator to walk behind the unit so as tosteer and control the aerator. However, as commercial lawn care hasbecome more prevalent and the benefits of turf aeration has become moreapparent, a desire for faster, more comfortable turf aerators hasdeveloped. In response, several manufacturers have developed stand-onturf aerators, which not only mechanically perform the turf aeration,but also propel a standing operator as they maneuver the unit across adesired surface. In this way, a large area can be aerated in arelatively short period of time, allowing an operator complete the taskin a more efficient and comfortable manner.

While stand-on aerators have become increasingly common, most rely onchain-driven drum assemblies to force the tines into the soil. However,due to the forces associated with penetrating the surface of the lawn,as well as the dirt and debris inherently present during lawn aeration,chain-driven assemblies may be prone to chain stretch and wear, and mayrequire consistent (and time-consuming) maintenance in order to ensureproper functionality.

Accordingly, for the reasons above, there is a desire for stand-onaerators that avoid chain-driven aerating assemblies. This patentdocument described devices that are intended to address the issuesdiscussed above and/or other issues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, a stand-on aerator isdisclosed, the stand-on aerator including a chassis and a pair of firstwheels coupled to the chassis, wherein the first wheels are operable asdrive wheels. The stand-on aerator also may include a pair of secondwheels coupled to the chassis, as well as an operator platform extendingfrom a rear portion of the chassis. The stand-on aerator may furtherinclude an aerator assembly coupled to the chassis. The aerator assemblymay include a plurality of reciprocating tines capable of extending fromand retracting into the aerator assembly.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to a stand-on aeratorincluding a chassis, a pair of first wheels coupled to the chassis andoperable as drive wheels, a pair of second wheels coupled to thechassis, a lift coupled to the chassis and the first pair of wheels, anoperator platform extending from a rear portion of the chassis, and anaerator assembly coupled to the chassis. The lift is operable to changethe distance between the first pair of wheels and the chassis. Theaerator assembly comprises a plurality of tines.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to a stand-on aeratorincluding a chassis, a pair of first wheels coupled to the chassis andoperable as drive wheels, a pair of second wheels pivotally coupled tothe chassis, an operator platform extending from a rear portion of thechassis, and an implement bracket coupled to the chassis. The implementbracket is configured to selectively receive a desired implement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side view of a stand-on aerator in a first configuration inaccordance with an aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a side view of the stand-on aerator of FIG. 1A in a secondconfiguration;

FIG. 1C is a front view of a pair of drive wheels and aerator drum ofthe stand-on aerator of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1D is a front view of the aerator drum of FIG. 1C;

FIG. 2A is a side view of a stand-on aerator in a first configuration inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a side view of the stand-on aerator of FIG. 2A in a secondconfiguration;

FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a drive wheel assembly of the stand-onaerator of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2D is a side view of the drive wheel assembly of FIG. 2C in variousconfigurations;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a drive wheel and aerator drum assemblyfor a stand-on aerator in a first configuration in accordance withanother aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 3B is a front view of the drive wheel and aerator drum assembly ofFIG. 3A in a second configuration;

FIG. 3C is a detailed view of a portion of the aerator drum assembly ofFIG. 3B;

FIG. 4A is a side view of a stand-on aerator in a first configuration inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 4B is a side view of the stand-on aerator of FIG. 4A in a secondconfiguration;

FIG. 5A is a side view of a stand-on aerator in a first configuration inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 5B is a side view of the stand-on aerator of FIG. 5A in a secondconfiguration;

FIG. 6A is a side view of a stand-on aerator in a first configuration inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 6B is a side view of the stand-on aerator of FIG. 6A in a secondconfiguration;

FIG. 7A is a side view of a stand-on aerator in a first configuration inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 7B is a side view of the stand-on aerator of FIG. 7A in a secondconfiguration;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a stand-on aerator having a suspensionconfiguration in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a rear view of a stand-on aerator having a suspensionconfiguration in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 10A is a side view of a stand-on aerator in accordance with anotheraspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 10B is a front view of the aerator drum of the stand-on aerator ofFIG. 10A;

FIG. 11 is a side view of a stand-on aerator in accordance with anotheraspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 12A is a perspective view of an aerator drum in accordance withanother aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 12B is a perspective view of the aerator drum of FIG. 12A coupledto a hose;

FIG. 13A is a front perspective view of an aerator tine configuration inaccordance with an aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 13B is a front perspective view of a tine opening on an aeratordrum in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 13C is a front perspective view of the aerator tine configurationof FIG. 13A having a core being ejected therefrom;

FIG. 13D is a perspective view of an ejected core relative to theaerator drum of FIG. 13A; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of an aerator tine, core pulverizing, andseeding assembly in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is made for the purpose of illustrating thegeneral principles of the present system and method and is not meant tolimit the inventive concepts claimed in this document. Further,particular features described in this document can be used incombination with other described features in each of the variouspossible combinations and permutations.

Unless otherwise specifically defined in this document, all terms are tobe given their broadest possible interpretation including meaningsimplied from the specification as well as meanings understood by thoseskilled in the art and/or as defined in dictionaries, treatises, etc.

It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and theappended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include pluralreferents unless otherwise specified. Unless defined otherwise, alltechnical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings ascommonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Allpublications mentioned in this document are incorporated by reference.Nothing in this document is to be construed as an admission that theembodiments described in this document are not entitled to antedate suchdisclosure by virtue of prior invention. As used herein, the term“comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Additionally, usethe term “couple”, “coupled”, or “coupled to” may imply that two or moreelements may be directly connected or may be indirectly coupled throughone or more intervening elements.

In this document, position-identifying terms such as “vertical”,“horizontal”, “front”, “rear”, “top”, and “bottom” are not intended tolimit the invention to a particular direction or orientation, butinstead are only intended to denote relative positions, or positionscorresponding to directions shown when an aerator is oriented as shownin the Figures.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1B, outdoor power equipment in the form of astand-on aerator 10 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure isshown. Stand-on aerator 10 includes a chassis 12, a pair of rear drivewheels 14, and a pair of front wheels 16. In some embodiments, reardrive wheels 14 are independently controllable so as to enable stand-onaerator 10 to maneuver with zero turn radius capabilities. Accordingly,while not shown, each respective drive wheel 14 may be operably coupledto a dedicated motor (i.e., a hydraulic motor, an electric motor, etc.)so as to allow each wheel to independently rotate in both forward andreverse directions. Relatedly, the front wheels 16 may be configured ascaster wheels, freely rotating 360° to allow for zero turn radiusmaneuverability of stand-on aerator 10. The motors coupled drive wheels14 and/or other implements (e.g., an aerator drum 26) may be powered byan on-board power head 20. Power head 20 may be any appropriate powersource, such as an internal combustion engine, an electrical generator,and/or one or more batteries. As such, it is to be understood that drivewheels and implements of stand-on aerator 10 may be engine-driven,hybrid gas-electric driven, electric motor-driven, or any combinationthereof.

Extending vertically from chassis 12 is a control tower 22, whichsupports various operator controls 24 (e.g., forward and reverse drivecontrols, implement controls, etc.) in a position forward of and withinreach of the operator when the operator is positioned on an operatorplatform 18 disposed to the rear of chassis 12. Accordingly, theplatform 18 enables the operator to travel with stand-on aerator 10,thereby enabling stand-on aerator 10 to be capable of travelling atspeeds independent of the operator's maximum walking speed.

As described above, many conventional stand-on aerators comprise arolling drum aerator that is mechanically or hydraulically pressed intothe soil via a dedicated pressure assembly. As such, the aerator drumand drive wheels are disposed on different axes, and the aerator drum isdriven by one or more chains, which may stretch or fail if not properlymaintained. However, referring now to FIGS. 1B-1D, stand-on aerator 10is configured to include a rolling drum aerator assembly 28. Aeratordrum assembly 28 includes an aerator drum 26 which is disposed coaxiallywith the respective drive wheels 14. Extending from the aerator drum 26are a plurality of tines 27. The tines 27 may be configured as solidtines or as hollow tines, thereby enabling cores of grass soil to beextracted from a lawn surface. While not shown in FIGS. 1B-1D, aeratordrum 26 may be operably coupled to the same motor(s) configured to drivethe drive wheels 14, thereby enabling aerator drum 26 to rotate inconcert with drive wheels 14. Alternatively, aerator drum 26 may includeone or more dedicated motors separate from the motor(s) driving drivewheels 14

As is illustrated in FIG. 1C, the diameter of drive wheels 14 is greaterthan the widest diameter of aerator drum assembly 28. Accordingly, whendrive wheels 14 are in place on respective ends of aerator drum assembly28, the tines 27 do not come into contact with the ground surface 11,thereby allowing the stand-on aerator 10 to be driven across the groundsurface 11 without aerating the soil. However, if drive wheels 14 areremoved (as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1D), the stand-on aerator 10 may bedriven by the aerator drum assembly 28 as opposed to drive wheels 14. Inthis way, the tines 27 extending from aerator drum 26 not only puncturethe ground surface 11 so as to aerate the soil, but also act to propelthe stand-on aerator 10 in at least a forward and reverse direction. Theweight of the operator and the other components of the stand-on aerator10 may help to force the tines 27 into the ground surface 11, obviatingthe need for a separate mechanism to force the aerator drum assembly 28downward. When an aerating procedure is completed, the operator simplyneeds to re-install the drive wheels 14, which allows the move acrossthe soil surface 11 without performing aeration.

Next, referring to FIGS. 2A-2D, a stand-on aerator 30 in accordance toanother aspect of the disclosure is shown. Like stand-on aerator 10described above, stand-on aerator 30 includes a chassis 32, a pair ofrear drive wheels 34, and a pair of front wheels 36. In someembodiments, rear drive wheels 34 are independently controllable so asto enable stand-on aerator 30 to maneuver with zero turn radiuscapabilities. Accordingly, while not shown, each respective drive wheel34 may be operably coupled to a dedicated motor (i.e., a hydraulicmotor, an electric motor, etc.) so as to allow each wheel toindependently rotate in both forward and reverse directions. Relatedly,the front wheels 36 may be configured as caster wheels, freely rotating360° to allow for zero turn radius maneuverability of stand-on aerator30. The motors coupled drive wheels 34 and/or other implements may bepowered by an on-board power head 40. Power head 40 may be anyappropriate power source, such as an internal combustion engine, anelectrical generator, and/or one or more batteries. As such, it is to beunderstood that drive wheels and implements of stand-on aerator 30 maybe engine-driven, hybrid gas-electric driven, electric motor-driven, orany combination thereof.

Extending vertically from chassis 32 is a control tower 42, whichsupports various operator controls 44 (e.g., forward and reverse drivecontrols, implement controls, etc.) in a position forward of and withinreach of the operator when the operator is positioned on a platform 38disposed to the rear of chassis 32. Accordingly, the platform 38 enablesthe operator to travel with stand-on aerator 30, thereby enablingstand-on aerator 30 to be capable of travelling at speeds independent ofthe operator's maximum walking speed.

Similar to stand-on aerator 10 described above with respect to FIGS.1A-1D, stand-on aerator 30 may include a rolling drum aerator (notshown) having a plurality of tines 45 extending therefrom, with therolling drum aerator being positioned coaxially between rear drivewheels 34. However, unlike stand-on aerator 10, which requires theremoval of the drive wheels to allow the tines to engage with the groundsurface, the rear drive wheels 34 of stand-on aerator 30 include aplurality of retractable treads 48 disposed radially about a hub portion46, which allow the diameter of the drive wheels 34 to be adjusted froma fully-extended position (as shown in FIG. 2A) to a fully-retractedposition (as shown in FIG. 2B), wherein the fully-retracted positionenables the tines 45 to engage the ground surface 31. Specifically, asshown in FIGS. 2C-2D, each rear wheel 34 includes a plurality ofretractable treads 48 positioned on a distal end of a correspondingplurality of stem members 35, wherein the stem members 35 are configuredto both extend from and retract into the hub portion 46. The stemmembers 35 may be extended and/retracted though any appropriate means,such as mechanically, hydraulically, electrically, and/or anycombination thereof.

As such, when the operator wishes to drive the stand-on aerator 30 in anon-aerating configuration (FIG. 2A), the operator may provideinstructions via the operator controls 44 that the stem members 35should fully extend away from the radial surface 47 of hub portion 46.However, when the operator wishes to drive the stand-on aerator 30 in anaerating configuration (FIG. 2B), instructions may be provided via theoperator controls 44 to retract the stem members 35 into the hub portion46, thereby drawing the retractable treads 48 onto the radial surface 47and allowing the tines 45 to extend radially beyond the retractabletreads 48 to puncture the ground surface 31. In this way, a drum-typeaerator may be positioned coaxially with the drive wheels, but the drivewheels need not be removed to initiate an aerating procedure.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A-3C, a rolling drum aerator assembly 50 inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure is illustrated. Whilenot shown, it is to be understood that rolling drum aerator assembly 50may be utilized in conjunction with a stand-on aerator similar to thoseshown and described above with respect to FIGS. 1A and 2A. Rolling drumaerator assembly 50 includes a pair of opposing drive wheels 51A, 51Brotatable about an axis A. While not shown, it is to be understood thatdrive wheels 51A, 51B each may be operably coupled to a dedicated wheelmotor so as to allow the drive wheels 51A, 51B to independently rotatein either a forward or reverse direction so as to allow for zero turnradius operability of the stand-on aerator. The wheel motors may be anyappropriate wheel motor (e.g., hydraulic motors, electric motors, etc.).

Coaxially disposed between the respective drive wheels 51A, 51B are fourdrum members 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D, which together form a rolling drumaerator. While four drum members 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D are shown, it is tobe understood that fewer or more drum members may be utilized. Each drummember 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D may rotate independent of the others. Morespecifically, the drum members immediately adjacent the drive wheels(i.e., drum members 52A, 52B) may be operably coupled to the drivewheels so as to rotate in the same direction as the drive wheels (51A,51B), while the centrally-located drum members (i.e., drum members 52C,52D) may be configured to freewheel relative to the outer drum members52A, 52B. As will be described in further detail below, this decoupledconfiguration between the drum members 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D allows forzero turn radius maneuverability during aeration without undesirabledamage to the turf surface during turning.

As shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, each drum member 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D includes aplurality of tine openings 53 radially positioned about thecircumference of each drum member 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D. As shown in FIGS.3B-3C, a plurality of tines 54 are configured to extend from respectiveplurality of tine openings 53, wherein each tine 54 is capable of beingretraced and/or extended from a respective tine opening 53 in aselectively reciprocating manner. In this way, the rolling drum aeratorassembly 50 may operate in a non-aerating configuration, as shown inFIG. 3A, or in an aerating configuration, as shown in FIG. 3B.

While not shown, it is to be understood that the tines 54 may be coupledto any appropriate mechanism so as to effectuate reciprocation into andout of tine openings 53. For example, embodiment, each tine 54 may bespring-biased toward an extended position (FIG. 3B), but may also becoupled to an electric motor which is configured to overcome the springforce so as to retract the tines 54. With such a configuration, thespring force may also serve to protect the tines 54 and overall assemblyfrom damage in the event that the tines 54 hit a rock, root, or othernon-permeable surface. In other embodiments, each tine 54 may bemechanically, hydraulically, pneumatically, or electrically forced intoan extended position using any appropriate means. In some embodiments,the tines 54 may be individually controlled. In other embodiments, someor all of the tines 54 may be operable coupled to one another such thatreciprocation of some or all of the tines 54 is coordinated.

As discussed above, the decoupled configuration between the drum members52A, 52B, 52C, 52D allows for zero turn radius maneuverability duringaeration without undesirable damage to the turf surface during turning.That is, during a zero turn radius turning event, the first drive wheel51A rotates in a first direction, while the second drive wheel 51Brotates in a second, opposite direction. The drum member 52A (and itsassociated tines) rotate with the first drive wheel 51A, while the drummember 52B (and its associated tines) rotate with the second drive wheel51B. However, the central drum members 52C, 52D may be configured tofreewheel relative to the drum members 52A, 52B, thereby allowing thecentral drum members 52C, 52D to rotate in either or both directionsduring a turning operation, which prevents the tines extending from thecentral drum members 52C, 52D from tearing across the lawn surfaceduring a turning operation. Additionally, with the drum members 52A,52B, 52C, 52D and drive wheels 51A, 51B being disposed on the same axisA, it is possible for the same motors utilized to drive the drive wheels51A, 51B to be used to rotate the drum members 52A, 52B, 52C, 52D and/orcontrol the reciprocation of the tines 54, thereby reducing the cost,complexity, and weight associated with additional motors and/or othercomponentry commonly used in existing rolling drum aeratorconfigurations, while still allowing the frequency of reciprocation ofthe tines 54 to be independent of the rotational speed of the drivewheels 51A, 51B.

Referring to FIG. 3C, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure,each retractable tine 54 may be hollow in construction and include anopening 55 formed therein so as to allow for a core of grass and soil tobe removed during the aeration procedure. However, it is to beunderstood that the all or some of the tines 54 are not limited to sucha construction, and may be configured as solid tines instead.

Next, FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate a stand-on aerator 60 in accordance withanother aspect of the disclosure. It is to be understood that many ofthe components of stand-on aerator 60 are the same or similar tocomponents of stand-on aerator 10 and/or stand-on aerator 30 asdescribed above. Accordingly, the presence and function of at least somesimilar components will not be reiterated herein. Stand-on aerator 60includes a chassis 62, rear drive wheels 64, and front wheels 66, andstand-on aerator 60 is configured to be maneuverable across soil surface61, preferably in a zero turn radius fashion. However, unlike thestand-on aerators described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-3C, stand-onaerator 60 does not include a rolling drum aerator that is coaxiallyin-line with the rear drive wheels. Rather, stand-on aerator 60 includesa rolling drum member 68 that is rotatable relative to chassis 62, butthat extends from a fixed position below chassis 62. As shown in FIG.4A, a plurality of tines 69 radially extending from rolling drum member68 may penetrate the ground to provide aeration, with the rolling drummember 68 being held in this “aerating” position simply by virtue of itsfixed position relative to chassis 62.

Conversely, to remove the rolling drum member 68 from the “aerating”position, and as shown in FIG. 4B, the stand-on aerator 60 may beequipped to lift a rear portion of the chassis 62 away from the reardrive wheels 64, which also acts to lift the rolling drum member 68 awayfrom the soil surface 61. The lifting action may be achieved through anyappropriate means, such as hydraulically, mechanically,electro-mechanically, etc. Accordingly, stand-on aerator 60 may utilizethe weight of the operator and the machine itself to hold the rollingdrum member 68 in the “aerating” position, while relying on other meansto remove the rolling drum member 68 from the “aerating” position.

Similarly, FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate a stand-on aerator 70 in accordancewith another aspect of the disclosure. Again, it is to be understoodthat many of the components of stand-on aerator 70 are the same orsimilar to components of stand-on aerator 10 and/or stand-on aerator 30as described above. Accordingly, the presence and function of at leastsome similar components will not be reiterated herein. Stand-on aerator70 includes a chassis 72, rear drive wheels 74, and front wheels 76, andstand-on aerator 70 is configured to be maneuverable across soil surface71, preferably in a zero turn radius fashion. However, unlike thestand-on aerators described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-3C, stand-onaerator 70 does not include a rolling drum aerator that is coaxiallyin-line with the rear drive wheels. Rather, stand-on aerator 70 includesa rolling drum member 78 that is rotatable relative to chassis 72, butthat extends from a fixed position below chassis 72. As shown in FIG.5B, a plurality of tines 79 radially extending from rolling drum member78 may penetrate the ground to provide aeration, with the rolling drummember 78 being held in this “aerating” position simply by virtue of itsfixed position relative to chassis 72.

Conversely, to remove the rolling drum member 78 from the “aerating”position, and as shown in FIG. 5A, the stand-on aerator 70 may beequipped to lift the entire chassis 72 relative to both the rear drivewheels 74 and front wheels 76, which also acts to lift the rolling drummember 78 away from the soil surface 71. The lifting action may beachieved through any appropriate means, such as hydraulically,mechanically, electro-mechanically, etc. Accordingly, stand-on aerator70 may utilize the weight of the operator and the machine itself to holdthe rolling drum member 78 in the “aerating” position, while relying onother means to remove the rolling drum member 78 from the “aerating”position.

Next, referring to FIGS. 6A-6B, a stand-on aerator 80 in accordance withyet another aspect of the disclosure is illustrated. Unlike the stand-onaerators disclosed above, stand-on aerator 80 is configured with a“rover-type” chassis, wherein the drive wheels and rolling drum aeratorare positioned in the front of the vehicle, while the caster wheel(s)are positioned toward the rear of the vehicle. This positioning may beadvantageous in that it further isolates the operator from both thedrive wheels and the rolling drum aerator, potentially reducingoperator-sensed forces and vibration and, thus, operator fatigue.

Stand-on aerator 80 includes a chassis 82, a pair of front drive wheels86, and at least one rear caster wheel 84. In some embodiments, frontdrive wheels 86 are independently controllable so as to enable stand-onaerator 80 to maneuver with a tighter turn radius across soil surface81. Accordingly, while not shown, each respective drive wheel 86 may beoperably coupled to a dedicated motor (i.e., a hydraulic motor, anelectric motor, etc.) so as to allow each wheel to independently rotatein both forward and reverse directions. The rear wheel(s) 84 may beconfigured as caster wheels, freely rotating 360° to allow for improvedmaneuverability of stand-on aerator 80. The motors coupled drive wheels86 and/or other implements (e.g., a rolling drum aerator 95 shown inFIG. 6B) may be powered by an on-board power head 90. Power head 90 maybe any appropriate power source, such as an internal combustion engine,an electrical generator, and/or one or more batteries. As such, it is tobe understood that drive wheels and implements of stand-on aerator 80may be engine-driven, hybrid gas-electric driven, electric motor-driven,or any combination thereof.

Extending vertically from chassis 82 is a control tower 92, whichsupports various operator controls 94 (e.g., forward and reverse drivecontrols, implement controls, etc.) in a position forward of and withinreach of the operator when the operator is positioned on a platform 94disposed to the rear of chassis 82. Accordingly, the platform 18 enablesthe operator to travel with stand-on aerator 80, thereby enablingstand-on aerator 80 to be capable of travelling at speeds independent ofthe operator's maximum walking speed.

As is also shown in FIG. 6B, the stand-on aerator 80 may include arolling drum aerator 95 positioned between the front drive wheels 86 andrear wheel 84. The rolling drum aerator 95 may include a plurality oftines 96 extending radially therefrom so as to penetrate the soilsurface 81 during an aeration procedure. While not shown, it is to beunderstood that the rolling drum aerator 95 may be lifted and loweredrelative to the soil surface 81 through any appropriate means, includingbut not limited to hydraulically, mechanically, or electro-mechanically.

Referring now to FIGS. 7A-7B, a stand-on aerator 100 in accordance withanother aspect of the disclosure is illustrated. It is to be understoodthat many of the components of stand-on aerator 100 are the same orsimilar to components of stand-on aerators described above, such asstand-on aerator 10 and/or stand-on aerator 30. Accordingly, thepresence and function of at least some similar components will not bereiterated herein. Stand-on aerator 100 includes a chassis 102, reardrive wheels 104, and front wheels 106, and stand-on aerator 100 isconfigured to be maneuverable across soil surface 101, preferably in azero turn radius fashion.

As shown in FIG. 7A, front wheels 106 are pivotally coupled to chassis102 via at least one pivotal arm 107, which pivots about a pivot point108 such that front wheels 106 may be lifted away from the soil surface101. In this way, the operator may access an implement bracket 109 whichextends below chassis 102 toward the soil surface 101. Implementsbracket 109 is configured to enable different implements, such asvarious aerator assemblies 110A, 110B, 110C, to be selectively providedon the stand-on aerator 100. Accordingly, the operator may easily accessthe implement bracket 109 so as to select and install a desiredimplement. While various aerator assemblies 110A, 110B, 110C are shownin FIG. 7A, it is to be understood that implements other than aeratorsmay be couplable to implement bracket 109. Additionally and/oralternatively, the implement bracket 109 may be configured as a“kick-stand” so as to hold the front portion of stand-on aerator 100 inan elevated position as front wheels 106 are pivoted away from the soilsurface 101, thereby allowing the operator to change implements in thefield.

Next, referring to FIG. 8, a stand-on aerator 120 in accordance withanother aspect of the disclosure is shown. Stand-on aerator 120 includesa chassis 122, rear drive wheels 124, and front wheels 126, and stand-onaerator 120 is configured to be maneuverable across soil surface 121,preferably in a zero turn radius fashion. An operator platform 123 ispositioned on the chassis 122 so as to allow the operator to stand on,and be propelled by, the stand-on aerator 120. It is to be understoodthat many other components of stand-on aerator 120 are the same orsimilar to components of stand-on aerators described above, such asstand-on aerator 10 and/or stand-on aerator 30. Accordingly, thepresence and function of at least some similar components will not bereiterated herein.

FIG. 8 also illustrates that rear drive wheels 124 are coupled to atleast one arm 130 such that the rear drive wheels 124 pivot relative tochassis 122 about at least one pivot point 131. A rear suspensionassembly 132 may be provided between the at least one arm 130 and thechassis 122 such that rear drive wheels 124 are suspended relative tochassis 122, thereby providing the standing operator positioned onplatform 123 with greater comfort as the stand-on aerator 120 travelsover uneven terrain. Rear suspension assembly 132 may include anyappropriate suspension device or devices, such as, e.g., coil-over-shockdevices, leaf springs, dampers, etc. Additionally, as is shown in FIG.8, a rolling drum aerator 128 having a plurality of tines 129 may alsobe rotatably coupled to the at least one arm 130. In this way, therolling drum aerator 128 is also capable of pivotal movement relative tothe at least one pivot point 131 with the rear drive wheels 124 inresponse to changes in terrain. While rolling drum aerator 128 is shownas being offset from rear drive wheels 124 along the at least one arm130, it is to be understood that the rolling drum aerator 128 may bepositioned coaxially with the rear drive wheels, similar to that whichis shown and described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-3C.

Additionally and/or alternatively, the front wheels 126 may also besuspended relative to the chassis 122. As shown in FIG. 8, a frontsuspension assembly 135 may be provided so as to allow the front wheels126 to react to uneven terrain, thereby providing a more comfortable andstable ride for the operator. FIG. 8 further illustrates that each frontwheel 126 may be pivotally coupled to the chassis 122 via a four-barlinkage 134, thereby providing for true vertical translation of thefront wheels 126. However, it is to be understood that the front wheels126 may be coupled to chassis 122 via any appropriate means, and is notlimited to use with a four-bar linkage. Furthermore, while suspensionassemblies are shown as being associated with both the front and rearwheels of the stand-on aerator 120, it is to be understood that, inaccordance with other embodiments, a stand-on aerator may utilize onlyone of the front or rear suspension assemblies.

Next, referring to FIG. 9, a rear view of a stand-on aerator 140 inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure is shown. Unlikestand-on aerator 120 described above with respect to FIG. 8, stand-onaerator 140 does not apply the suspension assemblies directly to thefront and/or rear wheels. Rather, stand-on aerator 140 includes achassis 142 having a pair of rear drive wheels 144A, 144B, along with anoperator platform 145 extending to the rear of chassis 142. While notshown, operator platform 145 is pivotally coupled to the chassis 142,and a pair of suspension assemblies 146A, 146B are coupled betweenoperator platform 145 and chassis 142. In this way, impacts caused bytravel over uneven terrain may be dampened by the pair of suspensionassemblies 146A, 146B, providing the operator with a more comfortableexperience. Suspension assemblies 146A, 146B may include any appropriatesuspension device or devices, such as, e.g., coil-over-shock devices,leaf springs, dampers, etc. Additionally, while a pair of suspensionassemblies 146A, 146B are shown in FIG. 9, is to be understood that moreor fewer suspension assemblies may be utilized.

Referring to FIGS. 10A-10B, a stand-on aerator 150 in accordance withanother aspect of the disclosure is illustrated. It is to be understoodthat many of the components of stand-on aerator 150 are the same orsimilar to components of stand-on aerators described above, such asstand-on aerator 10 and/or stand-on aerator 30. Accordingly, thepresence and function of at least some similar components will not bereiterated herein. Stand-on aerator 150 includes a chassis 152, reardrive wheels 154, and front wheels 156, and stand-on aerator 150 isconfigured to be maneuverable across soil surface 151, preferably in azero turn radius fashion. Additionally, stand-on aerator 150 includes arolling drum aerator 158 positioned below chassis 152, with rolling drumaerator 158 having a plurality of tines 159 extending therefrom andcapable of penetrating the grass and soil of soil surface 151 as thestand-on aerator 150 travels. While rolling drum aerator 158 is shown asbeing rotatable about an axis separate from that of the rear drivewheels 154, it is to be understood that the rolling drum aerator andrear drive wheels may be coaxial, similar to that which is shown anddescribed above with respect to FIGS. 1A-3C.

As shown in FIG. 10A, stand-on aerator 150 also includes at least onesensor 160 positioned so as to sense and/or detect objects forward ofand/or below the stand-on aerator 150. The at least one sensor 160 maybe one or more of any sensor capable of detecting objects, such as,e.g., camera(s), radar, sonar, thermal imaging device(s), etc. While notshown, it is to be understood that the at least one sensor 160 may becoupled, either wired or wirelessly, to a controller or other devicehaving a processor capable of obtaining and deciphering the informationreceived by the at least one sensor 160. In some embodiments, thecontroller may be on-board the stand-on aerator 150, while in otherembodiments, the controller may be remote from the stand-on aerator 150.

Referring still to FIG. 10A, the at least one sensor 160 may be operableto detect obstacles in the path of the stand-on aerator 150, such as arock 161 protruding from the soil surface 151. Typically, an operatorwould need to entirely avoid such a rock, or the aerator would strikethe rock, potentially damaging the tines of the aerator and/or jarringthe operator. However, as is shown in FIGS. 10A-10B, the stand-onaerator 150 is configured to utilize the sensor information obtainedfrom the at least one sensor 160 so as to allow some or all of the tines159 to avoid contact with obstacles in the aerator's path. As is shownin FIG. 10B, the rolling drum aerator 158 includes a plurality of tines159 disposed radially thereon. Similar to the aerator drum describedabove with respect to FIGS. 3A-3C, the tines 159 of rolling drum aerator158 may selectively extend and retract, providing for reciprocatingtines. The tines 159 may reciprocate through any appropriate means,including the mechanical, electro-mechanical, hydraulic, and/or fullyelectric means discussed above with respect to FIGS. 3A-3C.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10A-10B, when the at least one sensor160 senses an obstacle in the path of the stand-on aerator 150 (e.g., arock 161), that information may be processed such that at least some ofthe tines 159 are retracted so as to avoid contact with the obstacle,thereby preventing damage to the tines and providing for smoothertravel. While FIG. 10B illustrates that only a subset of the tines 159are retracted to avoid the obstacle, it is to be understood that inother embodiments, all tines 159 may be retracted upon detection of anobstacle. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the at least onesensor 160 may be utilized for purposes other than (or in addition to)obstacle avoidance. For example, the at least one sensor 160 could beutilized to recognize soil conditions to as to adjust tine depth and/orchange aerating pattern/density based on the detected conditions.

Next, referring to FIG. 11, a stand-on aerator 170 in accordance withanother aspect of the disclosure is shown. It is to be understood thatmany of the components of stand-on aerator 170 are the same or similarto components of stand-on aerators described above, such as stand-onaerator 10 and/or stand-on aerator 30. Accordingly, the presence andfunction of at least some similar components will not be reiteratedherein. Stand-on aerator 170 includes rear drive wheels 174 and frontwheels 176, and stand-on aerator 170 is configured to be maneuverableacross soil surface 171, preferably in a zero turn radius fashion.Additionally, stand-on aerator 170 includes a rolling drum aerator 178,with rolling drum aerator 178 having a plurality of tines 179 extendingtherefrom and capable of penetrating the grass and soil of soil surface171 as the stand-on aerator 170 travels. While rolling drum aerator 178is shown as being rotatable about an axis separate from that of the reardrive wheels 174, it is to be understood that the rolling drum aeratorand rear drive wheels may be coaxial, similar to that which is shown anddescribed above with respect to FIGS. 1A-3C.

One or more of the tines 179 of rolling drum aerator 178 may include oneor more sensors (not shown) housed therein or otherwise operably coupledthereto. These one or more sensors may be configured to communicate viawired or wireless means to a controller 180 on board the stand-onaerator 170. The one or more sensors associated with tines 179 may beany sensor capable of communicating information regarding one or more ofsoil conditions, pressure, etc. For example, in one embodiment, the oneor more sensors associated with tines 179 may be utilized to communicateto the controller 180 that the rolling drum aerator 178 should betranslated forward or backward, dependent upon a desired amount ofpreload on the rolling drum aerator 178 during operation.

In other embodiments, the one or more sensors may detect how easily thetines 179 are entering the soil surface 171 by monitoring, e.g., currentdraw if the tines are reciprocated via electrical or electro-mechanicalmeans. For example, if soil conditions are soft, the amount of forceneeded for the tines 179 to puncture the soil will be lower than theforce necessary in more compacted soil conditions. Thus, when soft soilconditions are detected, the amount of the force used to extend thetines 179 from the rolling drum aerator 178 and/or pressure applied tothe rolling drum aerator 178 could be lessened so as to reduce powerconsumption. Similarly, the sensor(s) could be utilized to determine ifthe density, pattern, and/or depth of the cores of soil being removedduring an aerating procedure are ideal or not, and changes can be madeto, e.g., the distance the tines 179 extend from the rolling drumaerator 178, the amount of pressure applied by the rolling drum aerator178 on the soil surface 171, etc. Furthermore, the sensor(s) coulddetect if and when the stand-on aerator 170 is performing a turningoperation, and at least some of the tines 179 can be retracted into therolling drum aerator 178 during such a turning operation so as to avoidsoil damage.

Referring now to FIGS. 12A-12B, a rolling aerator assembly 190 inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure is shown. Rollingaerator assembly 190 includes a plurality of interconnected drum members191 having a plurality of tines 193 extending therefrom. The pluralityof drum members 191 are shown as being disposed between a pair of armmembers 192A, 192B, which may extend below, e.g., a stand-on mower asdescribed below. However, it is to be understood that the rollingaerator assembly 190 may be disposed in any location, such as between apair of rear drive wheels of a stand-on mower.

As shown in FIGS. 12A-12B, each of the tines 193 are fluidly coupled toone another via a central conduit 194, and each drum member 191 isfluidly coupled to at least one adjacent drum member 191 via itsrespective central conduit 194. A hose fitting 196 is provided so as toallow for the coupling of a hose 198 to the rolling aerator assembly190. As shown in FIG. 12B, when hose 198 is coupled to the hose fitting196 and water is supplied, the water travels through each centralconduit 194 and through all tines 193, eventually exiting the tines 193through openings 195 formed therein. Thus, any dirt or debris build-upwithin the tines 193 as a result of aeration is expelled by the force ofthe water travelling through the central conduits 194 and tines 193,thereby providing for a simplified system and method of cleaning arolling aerator assembly.

Next, referring to FIGS. 13A-13D, a reciprocating tine system 200 inaccordance with another aspect of the disclosure is illustrated. Asdisclosed above, an aerator assembly may include reciprocating tines,which may extend or retract from a drum or other base for variousreasons. Reciprocating tine system 200 is configured to provide aself-cleaning tine, wherein the core or plug of soil is automaticallyexpelled as the tine is retracted into the drum or other base. Referringto FIG. 13A, a single tine 201 of reciprocating tine system 200 is shownfor the purposes of illustration. However, it is to be understood that aplurality of tines 201 may be utilized. Tine 201 extends from a base 202(e.g., a rolling drum) through an opening 203 formed in the base 202.The tine 201 includes an elongated slot 204 extending along the lengthof tine 201, as well as a core opening 205 formed on a side oppositeelongated slot 204. As shown in FIG. 13B, the opening 203 includes agate 206, which prevents the core of soil and other debris from enteringthe interior of the base 202.

Referring now to FIG. 13C, as the tine 201 enters the soil, a core 207is captures within the interior of the tine 201. Then, as the tine 201is retracted within the base 202 through opening 203, the core 207 isforced out of the tine 201, where it is then dropped to the ground oranother location (FIG. 13D). In this way, the reciprocating tine system200 allows for easy removal of soil cores and other debris from thetines 201, ensuring that the tines 201 do not become packed with soil,thereby losing their ability to effectively remove soil cores.

Finally, referring to FIG. 14, a combined aeration and seeding system210 in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure is shown.Although only a single tine 211 is shown for the purposes ofillustration, it is to be understood that combined aeration and seedingsystem 210 may include a plurality of tines 211. As described above, thetines 211 may be reciprocating from a drum or other base, with a spring212 or other mechanism utilized to bias the tine 211 out of the drum orother base. As the tine 211 enters the soil during an aerationprocedure, a soil core 214 is removed, and may be removed through anopening 213 formed in the tine 211.

Typically, the soil cores are dropped to the soil surface, eitherbreaking down over time or being manually broken down after the aerationprocedure. However, combined aeration and seeding system 210 isconfigured to capture each soil core 214 to combine the soil with seedand/or fertilizer, thereby recycling the removed soil cores during theaeration procedure. As shown in FIG. 14, the removed soil cores 214 maybe captured within a hopper 215, which may pulverize each soil core 214via, e.g., an auger housed within the hopper 215. The pulverized soilfrom soil core 214 may be mixed with seed or fertilizer 217 provided bya separate container 216 on board the aerating machine. Then, thecombined mixture of soil and seed or fertilizer may be broadcast,spread, or otherwise dropped from the hopper 215 via an opening 218. Inthis way, the soil cores 214 are not left to degrade on their own, butare instead recycled to provide a nutrient-rich base for seeding and/orfertilizing operations.

While the embodiments discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1A-14 aredescribed generally in conjunction with use on a stand-on aeratorconfigured for zero turn radius maneuverability, it is to be understoodthat these embodiments may applicable to other aerator configurations,such as walk-on or ride-on aerators. Furthermore, as opposed to havingzero turn radius maneuverability, an aerator having the featuresdescribed herein may be configured to have “spider” maneuverability,capable of moving forward, backward, side-to-side, and/or diagonallywithout turning. In such a configuration, a grid or array of tines couldbe provided on the aerator (e.g., a 9×9 grid), thereby allowing forconsistent aeration, regardless of direction of travel.

Additionally, with such a configuration, each tine and/or row of tinesmay be individually controllable, allowing the aerator to travel at afaster speed. That is, if an aerator is equipped with only a single rowof reciprocating tines, the travel speed of the aerator must take intoaccount the maximum reciprocating speed of the tines, as travelling toofast or too slow will greatly affect the pattern and density ofaeration. However, if multiple rows of reciprocating tines are utilized,the various rows can be operated and controlled independently (i.e., row1 first, row 2 second, row 3 third), thereby allowing for greaterfluctuations in speed without compromising the desired pattern anddensity of aeration. Additionally, such a configuration allows anoperator to set a desired core density for a particular property and/orsoil condition, with the reciprocation of the tines being controllablebased on drive wheel speed.

Furthermore, as described above, each reciprocating tine may bemechanically, hydraulically, pneumatically, or electrically forced intoan extended position using any appropriate means. It is to be furtherunderstood that each tine (or a connected subset of tines) may be forcedinto an extended position by way of a combustible gas (similar to coilroofing nailers), spinning flywheel assemblies, etc.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present disclosurehave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of thedisclosure. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiment, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A stand-on aerator comprising: a chassis; a pairof first wheels coupled to the chassis, wherein the first wheels areoperable as drive wheels; a pair of second wheels coupled to thechassis; an operator platform extending from a rear portion of thechassis; and an aerator assembly coupled to the chassis, wherein theaerator assembly comprises a plurality of reciprocating tines capable ofextending from and retracting into the aerator assembly.
 2. The stand-onaerator of claim 1, wherein plurality of reciprocating tines areconfigured to be electrically actuated.
 3. The stand-on aerator of claim2, wherein the plurality of reciprocating tines are coupled to at leastone spring-biasing member and at least one electric motor.
 4. Thestand-on aerator of claim 3, wherein the at least one spring-biasingmember is configured to force the plurality of reciprocating tines toextend from the aerator assembly, and the at least one electric motor isconfigured to overcome a force of the spring-biasing member to retractthe plurality of tines into the aerator assembly.
 5. The stand-onaerator of claim 1, wherein the aerator assembly is configured as arolling drum aerator having the plurality of reciprocating tinesdisposed radially about a rolling drum.
 6. The stand-on aerator of claim5, wherein the first wheels are rear drive wheels and wherein therolling drum aerator is configured to be coaxial with the first wheels.7. The stand-on aerator of claim 1, further comprising at least onesensor configured to detect objects on or within a soil surface in adirection of travel of the stand-on aerator.
 8. The stand-on aerator ofclaim 7, wherein information obtained by the at least one sensor isutilized to control reciprocation of at least some of the plurality ofreciprocating tines.
 9. The stand-on aerator of claim 1, wherein atleast the first wheels are operably coupled to the chassis through asuspension assembly.
 10. The stand-on aerator of claim 1, wherein eachof the pair of first wheels are driven by a respective wheel motor, andwherein the aerator assembly is driven by at least one of the respectivewheel motors.
 11. A stand-on aerator comprising: a chassis; a pair offirst wheels coupled to the chassis, wherein the first wheels areoperable as drive wheels; a pair of second wheels coupled to thechassis; a lift coupled to the chassis and the first pair of wheels, thelift operable to change the distance between the first pair of wheelsand the chassis; an operator platform extending from a rear portion ofthe chassis; and an aerator assembly coupled to the chassis, wherein theaerator assembly comprises a plurality of tines.
 12. The stand-onaerator of claim 11, wherein the aerator assembly further comprises arolling drum member, and wherein the rolling drum member is rotatablerelative to the chassis.
 13. The stand-on aerator of claim 12, whereinthe rolling drum member is a fixed distance from the chassis.
 14. Thestand-on aerator of claim 11, wherein the lift is a hydraulic lift. 15.The stand-on aerator of claim 11, wherein the pair of second wheels arecaster wheels.
 16. A stand-on aerator comprising: a chassis; a pair offirst wheels coupled to the chassis, wherein the first wheels areoperable as drive wheels; a pair of second wheels pivotally coupled tothe chassis; an operator platform extending from a rear portion of thechassis; and an implement bracket coupled to the chassis, wherein theimplement bracket is removably coupled to a desired implement.
 17. Thestand-on aerator of claim 16, wherein the desired implement comprises atleast an aerator assembly.
 18. The stand-on aerator of claim 17 furthercomprising a pivotal arm coupled to the chassis and the pair of secondwheels.
 19. The stand-on aerator of claim 18, wherein the second pair ofwheels are caster wheels.
 20. The stand-on aerator of claim 16, whereinthe implement bracket may be used as a kick-stand.